Group Dynamics
by ROSSELLA1
Summary: After Stan leaves, the group dynamics change. Spoilers for You're Getting Old. A bunch of oneshots  possibly some sequels in there but mostly one shots
1. Kenny Dies

Kenny Dies

By ROSSELLA1

Note: I do not own South Park or any of its characters.

"It...is so...damn...hot..." Cartman moaned.

"Maybe we should find a way to blot out the sun." Kyle seconded. It was a hot summer day and the three boys were floating around in Stark's pond.

Kenny, for once not in his parka but an orange bathing suit, laughed. "That would destroy...AAAHHH!" Cartman and Kyle twisted onto their stomachs as they heard Kenny's scream. The two instantly dashed out of the way as a car veered off the road, headed towards the pond.

"Kenny get out-"Cartman started. But it was too late. Their friend couldn't move in time and the car slammed into Kenny, sending his body flying into a tree.

The owner of the car hesitated a moment and then got out, swaying on his feet. He was clearly drunk. "Ooops! Sorry about-"

"Oh my God he killed Kenny!" Kyle cried out. "You bastard!"

There was a moment of silence. Then, "YOU FUCKING BASTARD! WHERE THE HELL DO YOU GET OFF KILLING MY BEST FRIEND, HUH?" Cartman roared.

"Dude, I'm sorry!" The drunk pleaded, eyeing Cartman . "It was an accident!"

"An accident?" Kyle shrieked. "Kenny..." There was a growl beside him and Cartman leapt forward.

"AHH UGGGH!" The drunk's screams became muffled as Cartman forced the man's head underwater.

"TAKE THAT YOU SON OF A BITCH! THIS'LL TEACH YOU NOT TO DRINK AND DRIVE!"

Kyle took a step forward and then halted. The man had killed Kenny and justice had to be done. With a sigh, Kyle turned around, keeping his eyes open for witnesses. After a moment, he heard a splash and saw Cartman getting out of the water. "Cartman..." He paused.

"The bastard killed, Kenny!" Cartman exclaimed. "He-"

"I know, I know!" Kyle assured. "But what if someone finds out?"

Cartman narrowed his eyes. "Your right." He turned back to the pond and grabbed the drunkard's corpse. "Come on, Kyle. Help me get him back in the car; it'll make it look like an accident."

...

The next day, Kenny woke up in his bed with a smile. Throwing on an orange tank top and shorts, he hurried down to the Shakey's Pizza where Cartman and Kyle were already eating.

"Finally!" Cartman sighed as Kenny got there. "We've been waiting forever! Where the hell were you?"

"Dead?" Kenny scoffed and plopped down next to Kyle, across from Cartman.

"Oh, right." Cartman muttered.

"Thanks you guys." Kenny continued in a more serious tone.. "I never thought you cared."

Cartman laughed. "We don't."

"Yeah," Kyle seconded, "We don't know what you're talking about."  
>Kenny just shook his head and grinned. "Whatever.<p> 


	2. Cartman learns something?

Cartman Learns Something?

By ROSSELLA1

Note: I do not own South Park or any of its characters. I also don't own the song Landslide; those quotations are in italics. 

"Damn it!" Cartman sighed, switching the TV off. "There's nothing good on!"

"Told you!" Kyle snorted. "It's Tuesday, everything good is on Wednesday."

"Yeah, guess you're right. Let go throw rocks at cars." Cartman answered.

"Yeah!" Kenny chimed in.

The three got up and went to the door, opened it and, "Oh, h-hi guys."

"Butters?" Cartman asked. "What are you doing here?"

"W-well, Eric, you're my b-best friend and I-I have to talk to someone…"

Kyle rolled his eyes. "It'll have to wait, Butters. We're going to go throw rocks at cars."

"S-see, I-I've been real upset since St-stan left." Butters went on, causing Kenny to curse and Cartman to scoff. "Sou-south Park, j-just i-isn't the s-same!" Butters wailed.

"Cmm mm, mmn! Eeff wan oo oh!" Kenny shouted.

"No,no," Cartman waved a hand at Kenny and then draping his arm across Butters' shoulder, "I know just how to make it better. It won't take long."

"Re-really, Eric?" Butters looked up with a hopeful expression.

"See, I learned something today." Cartman started, causing Kyle and Kenny to look up in shock. "People get older and grow apart. That's just the way things are. It's always sad, but if you sing the song Landslide at the end, it makes things all better. Here," Cartman took a deep breath:

"_I took my love and I took it down._

_Climbed a mountain and I turned around;_

_And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills,_

_And the landslide brought me down._

_Oh, mirror in the sky-what is love?_

_Can the child in my heart rise above?_

_Can I sail through the changing...ocean tides?_

_Can I handle the seasons of my life?_

_I don't know...I don't know..._

_Well I've been afraid of changing,_

_because I've built my life around you._

_But time makes us bolder; children get older_

_I'm getting older too..._

_So, take this love...take it down._

_Oh, if you climb a mountain and you turn around_

_and you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills..._

_well, the landslide will bring you down;_

_The landslide will bring you down..." _Cartman stopped and looked at Butters, who was staring at him with his mouth open. "See, doesn't that make everything better?"

"No!" Butters shrieked. "That's the m-most hopeless s-song ever! How could that m-ake things better? Thanks a-a lot, Eric!" He sobbed, and ran away.

"You're welcome!" Cartman called after him. "Come on, you guys. Now we can go throw rocks at cars."


	3. Courage

Courage

By ROSSELLA1

Note: I do not own South Park or any of its characters.

"Damnit!" Kyle cursed, kicking his locker closed.

"Ufff the mffr, ooof?" Kenny asked, approaching with Cartman.

"My Mom's making me take another extracurricular." Kyle muttered.

"But you're already in like five!" Cartman exclaimed.

"I know! That's what I said! I barely have enough time to hang out. Last night, I was up until midnight just so I could finish that stupid presentation on how diamonds are formed. For Geography Club! But she says there's no such thing as having too full a schedule!"

"Ohf eh fer oh!" Kenny said.

"I tried! She says I have to!"

"So?" Cartman snorted. "Put your foot down. If it was my Mom I'd-"

"But she's not your, Mom." Kyle snapped. "She's mine, and she'll force me onto the

"Kahl," Cartman sighed, "If you don't stand up to your Mom now, you never will and you'll be a pussy forever."

"I'm not a pussy, you asshole!" Kyle snapped.

"Then why are you acting like one?" Cartman asked with an innocent smile.

"I just… you just don't…you know, screw you Cartman." Kyle growled and stormed off.

"Yeah, you'll thank me later, Kahl!" Cartman called after him and headed the opposite way.

…..

That day, Kyle went straight home when the bell rang. He had to study for a history test, do his math and English homework, create a presentation on l'imperfetto for Italian Club, and practice his stupid recorder for a half hour; he didn't have time to hang out with Cartman and Kenny (he also didn't want to hear Cartman go on and on about how he should stand up to his mother).

Still, he regretted going home when the first words he heard after coming through the door were, "So, Bubby did you join a club yet?"

"Mom," Kyle sighed, "I really don't want to join a new club."

"Well, you need to." His mother replied dismissively. "It'll look good on your college applications."

"But Mom, most people only have one or two activities. I already have five!" Kyle exclaimed.

"You're not most people, Bubby."

"I barely got any sleep last night because of some stupid project for Geography club! I can't handle anymore!"

"You can and you will, Kyle!" Mrs. Broflovski ansered sternly.

"But Mom-"

"No buts, Kyle! Now I expect you to be signed up for a club or a team by tomorrow night or you are grounded!"

Kyle sighed; it just wasn't fair. Most Mom's cared what their sons thought and felt; they understood that it wasn't healthy to overschedule. Why couldn't his? Well, he decided, it didn't matter what she thought. Cartman was right; he'd have to stand up to her if he wanted to be happy.

"No." Kyle said, quietly. Then louder. "No!"

"What did you say?" Kyle's mom asked sharply.

"I said no, Mom." Kyle answered firmly. "I'm not going to join another extracurricular. I-"

"You will do what I say, Kyle!" His mother snapped.

"No! It's my life and I've already got too much to do. I don't need another club!"

"Kyle," She began, putting her hands on her hips. "I am your mother and-"

"Then start acting like one and listen to me!" Kyle shouted. "I'm so tired I fall asleep in the middle of working on stuff, I'm only keeping up my grades by rereading the chapters half a dozen times, and I barely have time to hang out with my friends anymore!"

"I suppose you mean Kenny and that Cartman boy." Sheila rolled her eyes. "Kyle, I think you should make new friends. If you joined another club now you could make-"

"I'm not joining another club and I don't need new friends!" Kyles screamed.

"THAT'S IT!" His Mom shouted. "DON'T YOU YELL AT ME YOUNG MAN!" She swung her hand to hit him but he caught her wrist.

"THEN START LISTENING TO WHAT I SAY AND STOP FORCING ME TO DO THINGS I DON'T WANT TO DO!" Kyle shouted back. They both broke off breathing heavily. Then slowly, Mrs. Broflovski seemed to shrink, her shoulders drooping and her eyes widening.

"What's gotten into you?" She whispered.

" 'That Cartman boy' is a better friend then I gave him credit for!" Kyle smirked. "He doesn't let me allow myself to get fucked over!"


	4. Finally Fitting In

Finally Fitting In

By ROSSELLA1

Note: I do not own South Park or any of its characters. Oh, and this is based off a true incident that took place between my cousin, my siblings, and I; the words are changed to be more South Parkish though.

"Hey, Butters." The voice on the other end of the phone said.

"E-eric?" Butters asked, confusedly.

"Yeah. So my Mehm says I can invite three friends to the opening of the grand opening of that new IHOP. You wanna go?"

"M-me? A-are you sure you want to i-invite me?" Now that Stan was gone, Eric, Kyle, and Kenny had been including Butters more often but not so much that it was a common event for one of them to just call him up.

"Uh…yeah!" Eric answered and Butters could picture him rolling his eyes. "That's why I called!"

"Uh,hold on. MOM!" Butters called. "CAN I GO TO IHOP WITH ERIC, KYLE, AND KENNY?

"DID YOU PAINT THE ATTIC?" Her voice came from the kitchen.

"Y-YEAH, I DID!"

"OKAY, THEN!"

"E-eric?" Butters checked.

"Yes, Butters. I'm still here." Eric sighed

"I-I can go! G-gee, thanks for inviting me. I-I've-"

"Whatever. We'll be there in fifteen minutes." There was a click on the other end and a moment later Butters hung up. He went and waited outside until the car pulled up.

"Th-thanks for inviting me, f-fellas." Butters said, getting into the car. "I-I've never been t-to IHOP before!"

"You've never been to IHOP?" Kyle asked incredulously.

"Uh-uh!" Butters smiled.

"OOF!" Kenny exclaimed.

"That's totally lame, Butters." Eric shook his head.

"Now, be nice to your friends Poopsiekins!" Mrs. Cartman put in sweetly.

"Whatevah, Mehm." Eric sighed. "Just drive faster!"

"I need to drive the speed limit, sweetie."

"B-better safe than sorry, E-Eric!" Butters seconded. "Ow!" He exclaimed as Eric threw a plastic cup at him. "I-I'll shut up now." It was probably his own fault, Butters mused. He was always upsetting Eric; he didn't mean to but he did. They drove on, Kenny and Kyle prattling about some video game and Eric urging his mother to speed on ahead. Butters just sat there quietly.

…..

When they finally arrived, they got a booth and ordered (Eric thrice as many plates as everyone else).

"W-wow!" Butters said, taking a bite of his eggs when they arrived. "This is really good."

"This is your first time at IHOP? Seriously?" Kyle asked.

"Y-yeah. Well, there's not one in South Park and my parents never bring me with them when they go on vacation so…" Butters trailed off.

"Weak!" Eric said in between bites of pancakes and bacon.

"Af uss!" Kenny agreed.

"I can't imagine leaving my poopsiekins at home when I go away!" Mrs. Cartman spoke for the first time since they'd ordered their food.

Butters gave a rueful smile. It wasn't often he had people sympathize with him. "Th-thanks." He gave a shake of the head. Time to change the subject, though. "G-gee, I wonder what IHOP means." There was a clang as Eric dropped his fork and everyone but Mrs. Cartman stopped to stare at him. "Wh-what? Do I have s-something in my t-teeth?"

"Goddamit, Butters." Eric sighed.

"What?"

"International. House. Of. Pancakes." Kyle said slowly.

"Wha- Oh!" Now he had done it. Now they'd regret asking him. Aw, heck… why did he always have to screw up? "I-I just thought it wa-was made up by someone wh-who likes to h-hop!" There was a small round of laughter.

"Ah 'akes I' ur!" Kenny tittered.

"O-oh." Butters let his head drop. It was all over now.

"Oi! Stop hogging the syrup, Kinneh!" Eric yelled.

Butters lifted his head, startled. Surely now, they'd start making fun of him! But the moment seemed to have past.

"Don't be such an ass, Cartman!" Kyle snapped.

"Share with your friends, Eric!" Mrs. Cartman reprimanded.

"But Mehm!" Cartman whined.

Butters glanced at each and every face but incredibly, nobody seemed to be looking at him. "Uh…your mother's right, Eric." He said cautiously.

Eric just scoffed and sulked. The others seemed totally absorbed in meaningless conversation. After a minute or so, Butters allowed himself to smile. In former years, this blunder of his would have been the center of conversation for at least five minutes and they would have held it against him for long after that. Now, it seemed that they'd completely forgotten what had happened. This could only mean one thing, Butters thought: He was finally beginning to fit in.


End file.
